vbh_handbook_featureVetsFirst is pleased to report that The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is producing a new Veterans Health Benefits Handbook to help vets navigate the VA health care system.

The most useful feature of the handbook is that it is tailored to each veteran enrolled in the VA health care system, providing a current and understandable description of the benefits and responsibilities that specifically pertain to them.

By offering each veteran a customized handbook, the VA hopes to ensure the delivery of consistent information to veterans and reduce the need for VA staff to continually interpret benefits.

The handbook will also provide contact information for the veteran’s parent preferred facility and information regarding copayment responsibilities, how to schedule appointments, ways to communicating treatment needs, patient rights, how to obtain their medical records and other important information.

“These handbooks will give Veterans everything they need to know and leave out everything that doesn’t apply to them,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “Our Veterans will now have a comprehensive, easy to understand roadmap to the medical benefits they earned with their service.”

VetsFirst urges veterans to take full advantage of the handbooks and use them as a tool to take charge of their health and quality of life.

The handbook is scheduled to be mailed to veterans starting in February, accompanied by a letter of introduction. VA anticipates the initial mailout process will take approximately 18 months to complete.

It’s also important to note that the handbooks will be replaced every two years. Within the 2-year period, the veteran will receive updates to the handbook in the form of “Inserts” (letters) to reflect changes to their eligibility factors and preferred facility information.

Since each handbook will contain personal information, veterans are responsible for safeguarding it just as they would any other sensitive document.

For more information, visit www.va.gov/healtheligibility or call VA’s toll-free number at 1-877-222-VETS (8387).